· April, 2008

Stories about Weblog from April, 2008

Egypt: Facebooking the Struggle

After little less than a month following the April 6 strike, during which a number of prominent Egyptian bloggers and internet activists were arrested, preparations for the next round of a planned general strike to mark the 80th birthday of President Mubarak, on May 4, 2008, are currently spreading all over the blogosphere and the Internet. Blogger and activist Nora Younis shares some of her ideas with us about the role of Internet in Egypt as a platform for political activism.

30 April 2008

Rising Voices Seeks Micro-Grant Proposals for Health-Related New Media Outreach

Rising Voices, the outreach arm of Global Voices, in collaboration with the Open Society Institute Public Health Program’s Health Media Initiative, is now accepting project proposals for the third round of microgrant funding of up to $5,000 for new media outreach projects focused especially on public health issues involving marginalized populations.

30 April 2008

Kyrgyzstan: An Anxious April

A next to last week of April started from the unexpected fall of temperature. A lot of bloggers posted the photographs of the frozen greenery and the trees under snow....

30 April 2008

Paraguay: More Blogger Reactions to Lugo Victory

After a decisive victory in the recent Paraguayan presidential elections, local bloggers provide their thoughts on their hopes for the new government of Fernando Lugo, Others take a look at the tenure of outgoing president Nicanor Duarte, while others revel in the long awaited victory over the Colorado party.

30 April 2008

Caribbean: Food Shortages

“If music be the food of love, play on”, wrote Shakespeare, who could not possibly have anticipated the global food crisis the world is facing today. Rising food prices are...

30 April 2008

Kuwait: Speeding Foreigners Unwelcome

A new traffic law which ejects foreign traffic violators from the country, is creating waves in Kuwait. While one blogger asks what the fuss is about when other countries have already implemented similar rules, another argues that the new clampdown is too strict.

29 April 2008

Bahrain: Food, Money and Traffic

Bahraini bloggers are sticking to the important subjects this week: food, money and traffic congestion, writes Ayesha Saldanha who brings us the latest vibes from the local blogosphere this week.

29 April 2008

Venezuela: Debates on the New Educational Curriculum

The Venezuelan government's new proposal for the elementary school education system has created a new point of debate in the country. While some say that the previous program needs to be reinforced in social and socialist values, as well as patriotic ideas, some others claim they're worried that this new system can be, above all, a new way of make children learn the government's doctrines. Bloggers provide their thoughts on the new proposals.

29 April 2008

Bahrain: MPs call to deport homosexuals

Out of the closet and out of the country? Ayesha Saldanha brings us blogger reactions on how Bahraini MPs are pushing for a new law to clampdown on homosexuality among locals and throw out expatriate gays and lesbians from the country.

29 April 2008

Touring Libyan Blogs: Pride, Patriotism, Nationalism and Chastity

There obviously is a link between patriotism, nationalism and pride but where do the women figure in this equation? If you are curious, bear with me and let's dissect the situation that has brought all this out on the Libyan blogs, writes Fozia Mohamed, who connects the dots in this article.

29 April 2008

Egypt: When Religion Sleeps With Politics

Egyptian blogger Zeinobia attacks Pope Shenouda III in this post for his recent Easter speech in which she claims he said people using Facebook will "roast in hell," reports Gr33nData from Cairo.

28 April 2008

Southeast Asia: Rice and food price crisis

The Southeast Asian region, home to several emerging and developing economies, is also struggling to cope with the global food price crisis. Bloggers discuss the impact of the crisis in the region.

28 April 2008

Japan: Nagano red for Olympic torch relay

The Japanese leg of the Olympic torch relay came to an end on Saturday without serious incident, but many Japanese bloggers who attended the event were left with lasting -- and often bitter -- impressions. With all the red flags, many bloggers pointed out how Nagano, for one day, seemed to transform into China.

28 April 2008

Zimbabwe: Post-election violence on the rise

The election crisis in Zimbabwe continues: there are reports from the mainstream media, bloggers and human rights organisations about state organised post-election violence against supporters of the opposition, the opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, has left the country for Botswana fearing for his life and the “ship of evil” continues to draw bloggers' attention.

26 April 2008